A staggering 90% of Australians check their phone as soon as they wake up, heading straight into high stress which is having a significant impact on the physical structure of our brains and our health and wellbeing. You only get a short window in the morning to set your day up for success. Here’s five tips for a healthy morning routine.
1. Don’t look at your phone
Limit technology for eight minutes when you first wake up. Our modern day is ruled by technology. Remove all temptations and keep your phone outside the bedroom if you want to have a calm and balanced start to the day.
2. Practice 30 seconds of gratitude
Harvard research suggests that practicing 30 seconds of gratitude a day, strengthens and grows the part of the brain that builds resilience. Cultivating an attitude of gratefulness shifts your perspective from negative to positive, therefore seeing the good things rather than the bad.
3. Look at a visual representation of your goals
You don’t even have to move out of bed. Visualisation and looking at imagery of your goals helps wire your brain for happiness, success and a positive mindset. The new EQ Minds vision board program is highly effective. (Read about the program at eqminds.com)
4. Gentle stretching
Stretching first thing in the morning improves your brain’s activity and decreases inflammation. Spend 10 minutes each morning stretching. Focus on your upper and lower back, sides, and ham-strings.
5. Have a glass of warm water with lemon
Squeeze half a lemon into a glass of warm water and have this after your stretching and about 30 minutes prior breakfast. This will help to kick start your digestive juices and boost your liver during the detoxifying phase.
Source: This is an edited extract from ‘8 Minute rule’ article by Chelsea Pottenger, available from AFA Care and Benestar at https://benestar.com/. For more information about accessing AFA Care resources available at Benestar please visit https://www.afa.asn.au/afa-care
